Writing board



E. J. GERETY Aug. 20, 1935.

WRITING BOARD Filed Feb. 5, 1934 Hrronws YJ.

Patented Aug. 20, 1935 UNITED ASTATES 2,011,625 WRITING BOARD Edward J. Gercty, New York, N. Y., assigner, by mesne assignments, to The McBee Company, Athens, Ohio, a corporation .of Ohio Application February 5, 1934, serial No. 709,719.1. 14 claims. (ol. 28a- 29) My invention relates to writing boards, and

' particularly to those which are used for manifolding-bookkeeping and for writing by the blind. In a great many commercial houses, and particularly in brokerage houses, it`is customary to employ what is known as a master sheet'upon `which all the data relating to the executionl of purchase and sale contracts is entered. It is also customary to enter this data on forms known as comparisons and confirmations which are exchanged between the parties involved and which are hereinafter referred to as entry slips.

In order to facilitate the bookkeeping, the entry slips are placed on top of'the master sheet in manifolding relation whereby, when the entry is made on the entry slip, it is duplicated on the master sheet. Each new entry is made on the master sheet in a space immediately below the preceding entry.

In such a system it is necessary for the operator to exercise extreme care to prevent the overlapping of orders on the master sheet. Even when the writing board is equipped with a line indicator which can be adjusted to properly locate the entry slip on the master sheet, the bookkeeper often forgets to make the necessary adjustment of the line indicator and, consequently, makes two or more entries in the same space on the master sheet.

The main object of my invention is the provision of a device of the character described equipped with means .for holding the entry slips on the master sheet and v with further means which, in the ordinary usage of the board, causes the entry slip holding means, hereinafter referred to as a spacer, to move a distance corresponding to one full entry space on the master sheet before the entry of each new entry slip without any conscious act on the part of the operator.

It is a further object of my invention to provide a device of the character described which -will be simple in construction and operation and error proof.

Another object of my invention is the provision vof a device of the character described which will make it possible for blind persons to write in straight, evenly spaced lines.

Further objects and advantages of my invention will be apparent from the following detailed description of the accompanying drawing in which:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of my device with a portion thereof broken away.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentaryibottom view of my departs in section.

tion, when the spacer 8 has been moved to the vice showing the'relation between the spacing member and the worm which operates it. 4

Fig. 3 is a face view of the mechanism which y operates the worm with parts broken away fo the sake of clearness. f 5

Fig. 4 is a vertical section through the line 4---4n of Fig. 1, and

Fig. 5 is a detailed view of a modified form of Worm activating mechanism with certain of the Referring to the drawing in detail, I represent a platen made of any suitable material, preferably a light metal'such as aluminum provided with studs 2 for aligning sheets of paper. These studs can be replaced by any other paper aligning means in common use. For example, the sides of the platen can be projected above the surface of the platen to provide confining walls for aligning the paper. Spaced from one side of the platen is a slot 3 in which ride a pair of pins 4 which are adapted to receive a perforated strip of paper 5. If the device Iis to be used for writing by blind persons, the strip of paper 5 is replaced bythe conventional line guide shown in Patent No. 1,372,360.

The strip of paper 5 represents an entry slip, and when in position on the board, it extends over a pile of master sheets 6 and carbons 1. Of course, several entry slips can be used in manifold relation or the top sheet of the pile of sheets on the platen may be a master sheet and the under surface of the entry slip may be coated with carbon. It is to be understood that any conventional manifolding relation can be employed.

The pins 4 are carried by the spacer 8 which is in the form of a flat plate having one of its sides riding on the' lip 9 and having at its other side a sleeve I0 encircling a worm I I which is journalled in the opposite sides of the board. One of the pins 4 is rigidly mounted on the plate 8. The other pin is mounted on a plate I2 pivoted on plate 8 at I3 and having a nger I4 extending into the groove of the worm I I. The finger I4'is normally spring pressed into the groove of the worm II by a spring I5. Of course, any other conventional spring arrangement can be employed for this purpose. The portion of the plate 8 surrounding this latter pin 4 is cut away to' permit lateral movement of the pin. By this construcend of worm I I step by step, as will be hereinafter explained, the nger I4 canv be' withdrawn from the groove of the worm II simply by moving the pin 4 laterally and the spacer 8 can be slid along Worm II to the starting position. Rigidly keyed to the shaft ofthe worm II at its upperend is a gear I6 which meshes with a larger gear I1 which,

in turn, is. rigidly secured to shaft I8. Rigidly mountedonshaft' I8 is a ratchet I9. A plate `28 ls loosely mounted on shaft I8 and carries-a pawl 2 I pivoted on pin 22 and having its free end spring pressed against ratchet I9 by a spring 23 in such a manner that, during counter clockwise move-` face of the ease 24 is an arcuate slot 25. Protrud- 4 lng through this slot is a pin 26 which ls mounted on the plate 28. AThe pin 26` extends into the path of travel ofthe plate 21 having -one-of its sides hinged to the platen I ,at 28 and being of such a width that its free side 29, when pressed down wardly on. the platen, constitutes a clamp forclamping the entry slips in position while entries are being made thereon. 'I'he pin 26 isnormally held in the upper vend of the slot 25 by a spring 38 fastened at one end to a. pin 3| in the case 24, and at its other end to the' plate 28.

In using the board, the bookkeeper places an entry slip on the pins 4 and then presses the plate 21 downto clamp the entry slip in place. Thel downward movement of the plate 21 presses the plate 26 downwardly, thereby moving plate 28 counter clockwise against the action of spring 38 and' moving the pawl 2I over the ratchet I9 to a position where it will engage one of the teeth of said ratchet. When the entries a'e made on the entry slip, the operator releases the plate 21, whereupon spring 38 pulls plate 28 clockm'se and imparts rotation to the worm II through the gears I1 and I6. Rotation of the worm II causes the spacer 8 to move down. 'Ihe distance which the spacer moves'after eachl entry on the master sheet is regulated by the length of the arcuate slot 25, the spacing of the teeth on ratchet I9, the ratio between gears I1 and I6 and the pitch of the groove in worm Il. Any one of these factors can be changed to adjust the distance moved by the spacer in each operation.

It is to be understood that the ratchet mechanism in Fig. 3 can be replaced by any one-of the numerous conventional ratchet mechanisms'for accomplishing the same result. It is to be noted that the mechanism described above causes movement ofthe spacer on the release of plate 21 from clamping position. This isthe preferred arrangement. According to my invention, however, a ratchet mechanism can be employed which will cause movement of the spacer upon movement of plate 21 into clamping position.

Such a mechanism is shown in Fig. in which II represents the end of the worm, on which is rigidly mounted a ratchet 32. Fulcrumed at 33 is a lever 34. On the short end of the lever a pawl 35 ls Pivoted and is provided with a weight 36 which forces it into engagement with the teeth of ratchet 32 upon upward movement of that end ofthe lever 34. The other free end of the lever 34 rests on a spring 31 which normally presses it upwardly. Resting on the free end of the lever is a plunger 38 which is normally projected by spring -31 into the path of travel of the plate 21.

When the plate 21 is pressed into clamping lposition it depresses plunger 38 and the free end of lever 34 against the actionv of spring 31. This,

moves the'pawl end of lever 34 upwardly' thereby by any one of a number of known ratchet mechanisms which perform-the same function.

It is to be understood that, while the structure Vdescribed above and shown inthe drawing representsv the preferred embodiment of my invention, my Iinvention is not restricted thereto, but

also contemplates various mechanical modications thereof. For example, instead ofusing a worm for step by step movement to the spacer,

Ixcan employ a chain. The essential feature of `my-invention is the provision of a writing board of the characterdescribed which is provided lwith means for imparting a step by step movement to the spacer upon the up or down movement'of the clamping member, and I consider within the scope of my invention any mechanical arrangement which will accomplish this result.

In the appended claims, both the entry slips referred to above and the Aslotted writing guide used 'by blind persons are embraced by the term entry strip.

Having .thus described the end and objects of my invention, and illustrated a preferred' embodiment of the same, what 'I claim as ,new and useful and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A writing board comprising a platen having a space for supporting a main sheetv upon which entries' are to be made,a spacer mounted adjacent said space and adapted for movement along -one side of said space, said 'spacer being provided with means for locating an entry strip on said main sheet, means comprising va movable element for cooperating with said spacer to hold the entry strip in place and means actuated by the movement of said element for automatically moving said spacer along said space a predetermined distance after each successive entry is made on said main sheet.

2. A writing board comprising a platen having a space for supporting a main sheet upon which entries are to be made, a spacer mounted adjacent said space and adapted for movement along one side of said space,'said spacer being provided A with means for locating an entry strip on said main sheet, an element normally projecting above the surface of said platen and adapted to be pressed against said platen when an v entry is made on said main sheet, and means, actuated by I the [movement of said element, for imparting motion to said spacer. Y

. 3. A writing board comprising a platen having a. space for supporting a 'main sheetA upon which entries are to be made, a spacer mounted adjacent said space and adapted for movement along one side of Isaid space, said spacer being provided with pins for receiving a suitably perforated entry l v 4. A writing board comprising a platen having a space for supportingl a main sheet upon which entries are to be made, a spacer mounted adjacent said space and adapted for movement ver- 10. A writing board comprising a platen havtically of said space, said spacer being provided with pins for receiving asuitably perforated entry strip and locating'said entry strip on'said main sheet, an element normally projecting above the surface of said platen and adapted to be pressed against said platen when an entry is made on said main sheet, and means, actuated by the movement ,of said element, for imparting motion to said spacer.

5. A writing board comprising a platen having a space for supporting a main sheet upon which entries are to be made, a spacer mounted adjacent said space and adapted for movement along one side of said space, said spacer being provided with means for locating an entry strip on said main sheet, an element normally projecting above the surface of said platen and adapted to be pressed against said platen when an entry is made on said main sheet, means for moving said element away from said platen when the pressure thereon is released, and means, actuated by the movement of said element away from said platen, for imparting motion to said spacer.

6. A Writing board comprising a platen` having a space for supporting a main sheet upon which entries are-to be made, a spacer mounted adjacent said space and adapted for movement ver- 'tic'ally of said space, said spacer being provided a space for supporting a main sheet upon which entries are to be made, a spacer mounted adjacent said space adapted for movement along one side of said space, said spacer being provided with means for locating an entry strip on said main sheet, an element normally projecting above the surface of said platen and adapted to be pressed against' said platen when an entry is made on said main sheet and means, actuated by the movement of said element toward said platen, for imparting motion to said spacer.

8. A writing board comprising a platen having a space for supporting a main sheet upon which entries are to be made, a spacer mounted adjacent said space and adapted for movement along one side of said space, said spacer being provided `with means for locating an entry strip on said main sheet, a. movable clamp for holding said entry strip in place on said main sheet, and means, actuated by movement of said clamp, for imparting motiontosaid spacer.

9. A writing board comprising a platen having a space for supporting a main sheet uponwhich entries are to be made, a spacer mounted adjacent said space and adapted for movement along one position, for imparting motion to said spacer.

ing a space for supporting a main sheet upon which entries are to -be made,a spacer mounted adjacent said space and adapted for movement .along one side of said space, said spacer being provided with means for locating an entry strip on said main sheet, a movable clamp for holding said entry strip in place on said main sheet and -means, actuated by movement of said clamp out of clamping position, for imparting motion to said spacer.

11. A Writing board comprising a platen having a space for supporting a main sheet upon which entries are to be made, a spacer mounted adjacent said space and adapted for movement along one side of said space, said spacer being provided with means for locating anentry strip on said main sheet, an element normally projecting above the surface of said platen and adapted to be pressed against 'said platen when an entry is made onsaid main sheet, a mechanism actuated by the movement of said element and operatively connected to said spacer to impart step by step motion thereto, and means for disengaging said spacer from said mechanism whereby said spacer can be freely moved manually in its path of travel.

12. A writing board comprising a platen having a space for supporting a main sheet upon which entries are to be made, a spacer mounted adjacent said space and adapted for movement along one side of said space, said spacer being provided withmeans for locating an entry strip on said main sheet, a movable clamp for holding said entry strip in place on said main sheet, a mechanism actuated by movement of said clamp and operatively connected to said spacer to impart stepby step motion thereto, and means for disengaging saidv spacer from said mechanism whereby said spacer can be freely moved manually in its path of travel.

13. A writing board comprising a platen having a space for supporting aA main sheet upon which entries are to be made, a slot in said platen along one side of said space, a'worm mounted on the underside of said platen parallel to said slot, a plate riding on said worm, pins carried by said plate and projecting through said slot, a plate hinged on said platen and adapted to be pressed against said platen each time an entry is to be made on said main sheet, and means operated by the movement of said hinged plate for rotating the worm and thereby imparting motion to the plate riding on said worm.

14. A writing board comprising a platen having a space for supporting a main sheet upon which entries are to be made. a spacer mounted adjacent said space and adapted for movement along one side oi' said space,.pins on said spacer for receiving a pertorated entry strip and locating it on said 4main sheet, 'an element normally projecting above the suriace o! said platen and adapted to be pressed against said pins for holding the entry strip thereon and means activated by the movement oi' said element for imparting motion to said.

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EDWARD J. Gm. 

